Methane gas blast in India tunnel kills 12, dozens still trapped
Photo courtesy: Al Jazeera.
At least 12 construction workers have lost their lives following a methane gas explosion inside an under-construction tunnel in India's northeastern state of Sikkim, officials confirmed. Rescue teams are still racing against time to locate 13 other workers who have been trapped since Monday's disaster.
The blast occurred roughly 1.5 kilometers (0.9 miles) inside the tunnel, which is being built to channel water from the nearby Teesta River to turbines at a hydropower plant. The project, part of a larger Himalayan development scheme, is being executed by the state-run National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC).
According to an NHPC statement, the accident was triggered by a "sudden burst" of suspected methane gas embedded within the rock, which led to an explosion that released dense smoke and toxic gases. The Sikkim government separately attributed the tragedy to "methane gas combustion." Officials explained that methane, a naturally occurring underground gas, can ignite or explode if released into a confined space and exposed to a spark.
At the time of the incident, 27 workers were stationed in different sections of the tunnel. Two managed to flee to safety immediately after the blast, leaving 25 trapped inside.
"We have recovered 12 bodies so far, and teams are working tirelessly to find the remaining 13 men," Superintendent of Police Sonam D Bhutia told the BBC on Wednesday morning.
Authorities have so far identified seven of the deceased—one resident of Sikkim and the others migrant labourers from West Bengal, Uttarakhand, and Assam. An official stated that autopsies will determine the exact cause of death for all the victims.
The ongoing search-and-rescue operation, led by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), is currently zeroed in on a 200-metre stretch inside the tunnel where the missing workers are believed to be located, an NDRF officer told the ANI news agency.
In response to the tragedy, Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang has constituted a special investigation team. "We have engaged a team of experts to investigate exactly what happened and how. We will take appropriate action based on their findings," Tamang assured reporters. (Source: BBC)
